"thanks for the lift..."

[annmpacheco]

This is one image in a burst i have that blew my mind on this very freezing day in early 2019... I have never processed any of them but thought i'd try Topaz. The IQ may not be tops and both geese may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but i just had to give it a go, so I am looking forward to any suggestions you may have. I was shooting mergansers when they would float closer to me in the open water. However, a pair of canada geese flew in floated up next to the thin ice shelf and as the front goose jumped from water to ice, the back goose snapped onto the tail feathers of the one in front and was dragged up and onto the ice. The sequence clearly shows this ingenious "lift" and in a split second, it was done and both geese recovered nicely and went on their way...

I wish the white hoodsof the hooded males didnt stand out so much. Also the slanted ice lines in the BG bug me bc they are not parallel to the open water... Anyway, a fun frame for me...


ol Canon days

1Dx
1200mm

ISO 1250
f8
1/1000

[David Roach]

Love the interaction and water action where the wing blur adds for sure. Kinda wish ducks weren't there, but they make nice spectators. TFS

[Bill Dix]

Great story. Must have been fun to watch.

[Dorian Anderson]

I dunno, I kinda like the mergansers. Without them, I think the geese would be a little lost in the frame. Canada Geese are so common and easy to photograph that any image of them needs to be really, really awesome to get any sort of reaction. This interaction between the two is fun, but I'm not sure its enough on its own. Hence the other birds kinda round out the frame. I've never tried Topaz, so I can't comment on it!